Assisted Living in Missouri

Assisted living in Missouri provides long-term residential living in a community setting, with care services tailored to meet the varied needs of residents. Assisted living communities offer a variety of activities for seniors but also provide support with activities of daily living such as dressing, bathing, and eating. The median cost of assisted living in Missouri is $4,600 per month or $55,200 annually, according to A Place for Mom’s internal data on assisted living facilities in Missouri.^[01]

While the story for how Missouri came to be known as the “Show-Me” state is debated, the borders are the only limits to all there is to see and do. Mark Twain State Park is just one example of the serene woodlands, lakes, and rivers that provide a quiet place for Missourians to commune with nature. For a deep dive into culture, Missouri’s cities are the stage for the state’s unique contributions to music, history, and of course, barbecue.

The cost of living in Missouri is lower than the national average and is reflected in the median cost of assisted living for the state: approximately $2,400 to $6,800 per month. This range is an estimate based on A Place for Mom’s proprietary data that evaluates what families actually paid at partnering assisted living facilities in Missouri.

Assisted living prices can vary and are affected by several factors including location, services, and amenities offered, as well as the specific care needs of an individual. Communities located near a larger cities, like St. Louis or Kansas City, are likely to be more expensive. Luxury amenities and specialized services can also add to monthly costs.

Other factors that can affect the cost of assisted living may include:

• Room size and design
• Admission fees
• Pet fees
• On-site educational classes
• Chef-prepared meals

Many families pay for assisted living room and board fees using a combination of private pay methods, including personal savings and retirement funds. However, families may use Medicare, Medicaid, private health insurance, or veteran’s benefits to cover medical services and some personal care.

There are numerous ways to pay for senior care in Missouri, and it’s common for families to blend a variety of payment methods. Keep in mind that early planning often provides families with more payment options. The following section has information on several resources, including private pay, public insurance such as Medicaid, private insurance options, and veterans benefits.

Assisted living facilities (ALFs) in Missouri are licensed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). The department defines ALFs as a facility that provides 24-hour care and protective oversight to three or more residents. Facilities must provide room and board plus the following services:^[08]

• Assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing and dressing
• Assistance with instrumental activities of daily living such as cooking and cleaning
• Medication management
• Health care supervision

Missouri state law requires that assisted living communities are inspected twice per year. Department of Health and Senior Services reviews previous reports before an inspection and conducts unannounced visits. Throughout the inspection process, surveyors make observations; conduct interviews with residents, family members, and staff; and review documentation.

Facilities are evaluated on the following criteria:^[09]

• Quality of care
• Resident quality of life
• Quality of facility services
• Dietary services
• Fire safety

For families who want to check Missouri assisted living licenses and records can use the Show Me Long Term Care in Missouri look up tool. The following tips can help make the process a little smoother:

• Enter a county, city or ZIP code to begin your search.
• Click a name of a community to be directed to its provider page.
• Inspections reports, complaint investigations, and other records are available at the bottom of the provider page.
• The inspections and complaint record listings are clickable, allowing you to read details about the inspections and complaints.

Ease of access to Missouri assisted living records

We developed a system to rate each state on how easy — or difficult — it is to find important assisted living records and reports, and we compiled tips to help you in your search.

States with the most transparent records allow you to look up important information about each assisted living facility online, including inspections, complaints, survey results, violations, capacity, and whether the facility accepts Medicaid.

Access to Missouri assisted living records: Exceptional

Public access to assisted living records and reports for the state of Missouri is exceptional. Key findings that informed this rating include:

• Assisted living records in Missouri are highly transparent, having met all but one of the transparency criteria.
• The frequency of required inspections in Missouri is tied for highest in the nation.

How we arrived at our Missouri rating

We developed a standard methodology for state data collection and evaluation, and we based our rating primarily on the objective, state-specific accessibility criteria outlined in these questions:

1. Are licensed assisted living communities listed online in any form? Yes
2. If Yes to #1, is the information updated frequently? Yes
3. If Yes to #1, is the list of licensed communities searchable? Yes
4. Does the state post inspections, complaints, survey results, or violations online? Yes
5. If Yes to #4, is the information updated frequently (within 90 days)? Yes
6. If Yes to #2 and #4, is the enforcement information included in the same place as licensed communities? No
7. If Yes to #4 and No to #6, are violations and inspections searchable at all? No
8. Is information about special licensing for care shown? Yes or N/A
9. Is capacity shown? Yes
10. Are payment types shown (e.g., Medicaid, private pay)? Yes
11. Is the administrator/contact name shown? Yes
12. Can the state fine a facility? Yes
13. What is the frequency of inspections? Every 12 months
14. Does the website include pricing of facilities? No